On August 27, 1972, USS Newport News CA-148 and three other ships - USS Rowan DD-782, USS Providence CLG-6, and USS Robison DDG-12 - carried out a night time raid against heavily defended targets at the mouth of Haiphong Harbor. As they were completing the mission, North Vietnamese patrol boats closed at high speed. Newport News, the other ships, and Seventh Fleet aircraft attacked the patrol boats, destroyed two, and sent a damaged third limping for cover.